Coupling for railway-cars



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

J. D. BAGG.

COUPLING FOR RAILWAYGARS. No. 443,811. Patented- Dec. 30,1890.

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(NoiModeL) 2 Shee tis-Sheet I. J. D.BAGG. COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARS.-

No. 443,811. Patented Dec. 30,1890.

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' To all whom it may c07wern:

Nl'lED STATES Erich.

ATENT COUPLING FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,811, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed October 31, 1890. Serial No. 369,910. (No model.)

Be it known that 1, JAMES D. BAGG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to equip railway-cars with appliances for the efficient support of the coupling devices for the steam or air pipes thereof, and the coilstruction' and arrangement of the parts forming said coupling-supporting appliances, to the end that the same may bercadily applied to and detached from the cars, said appliances being readily adapted for application on different cars having the present usual construction, although the said cars may differ slightly in the situation of certain of the timbers thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved couplings for the steam or air pipes thereof whereby both the coupling and uncoupling may be entirely automatic, and when the coupling-heads are in engagement the integrity of the coupling of the pipes will be most complete and secure.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, all substantially as will hereinafter more fully appear, and be set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which various features of the present invention are illustrated, Figure 1 being a side elevation of the lower and end portion of a railway-car with the presentimproved coupling-supports and coupling applied thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the couplingheads on the coupling-bars for two cars, as in their end-to-end approach. Fig. 3 is a front end view of one of the coupling-heads. Fig. l isa view, mostly in section, of a pair of coupling-heads as in their engaged or coupled positions. Fig. 5 is a side View of a part of one of the couplings with parts shown as broken out for clearer illustration, while Fig. 6 is an edge View of the same with parts of the coupling-head broken away. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 are views of parts employed to constitute the packing and packing-retaining devices for thecoupling-head. Fig. 11 is a vertical sectionalwicw of parts shown in Fig. 1, taken about on line x 00, Fig. 1, and on a larger scale than said Fig. 1 Fig. 12 is a horizontal section on line y y, Fig. 11; and Fig. 13 is a ver tical sectional view on the line 2' 2, Fig. 1, but also on a larger scale than said Fig. 1. Figs. 14 and 15 are views of the head illustrating additional features of construction to be hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, A represents the bottom of the car-body, the portion shown comprising the Miller platform of a passenger railway-car, and a a indicate the rigid iron yokes or clips secured on the girders b b, and which form the supports and guides for the coup ling-bar c.

B represents the supporting devices for the coupling-bar D, and, as shown, the same consists of a horizontal metal bar 6, supported from brackets or hangers f and g, to which said bar is firmly secured, and which hangers f and g in turn are secured to the said yokes a a, a supporting-eye h for the rear portion of the coupling-bar sustained on or from the said bar 6 and another support 11, which is spring-sustained and vertically-movable 0n the said bar 6 and provided with a pending link or stirrup j, on which the forward portion of the coupling-bar may rest. As particularly shown, the eye h is formed at the lower end of a shank h, which passes upwardly through one of a series of holes 70in a sub-hanger e, which is firmly bolted to the bar a, the said shank receiving at its upper extremity the retaining nut 7L The forward bracket or hanger g, which, as shown, is of a step form, has its forward and upper member provided with a slot Z, whereby on loosening the bolt-nuts employed for confining the said hanger memberupon the yoke through one of the perforations in the said bar 6, receiving at its upper screw-threaded end a nut t',l)CtWOGI1 which and the upper side of the bar 0 is interposed a supportingspring 12. The link or elcvis j, which by its upper portion is hung from the ring-eye of the said support 17, at its lower portion preferably supports a horizontal roll 0 for the support of the forward portion of the couplingbar D. The coupling-bar D at the rear of the said supporting-linkj is provided with a shoulder or other form of stop 1), between which and the said ring-eye support it is placed a spiral spring it, which encircles the coupling-bar and exerts a pressure thereon to normally maintain the same in its foremost disposition, the limit of the forward movement thereof being insured by the stop q. It will be seen, as concerns the rear support for the coupling-bar, that the bar may slide freely through the ring-eye 72, and the latter being of the horizontal cross-seetional contour shown in Fig. 12 forms in substance a pivotal bearing, whereby the bar I) may have a horizontal inclination, more or less, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 12; and as to the forward support for the said coupling-bar, it will be seen that the latter is free to move longitudinally therethrough, while the said support, constituted by the part i and the link j, is. bodily movable vertically--that is downwardly-against the supporting-spring a and upwardly under the reaction thereof, and the link or stirrup j is capable of a swing ing movement transversely of the length of the coupling-bar D, and also of a swinging movement coincident with the length thereof, which latter movement, however, is not deemed essential, although advantageous, as tending to render easy the operation of the coupling devices.

The coupling-bar at its forward end is provided with a head G, the specific form of which is accurately shown in the drawings. The head is formed with its opposite sides 110 plane and forwardly tapering, and has a passage ttherethrough, which leads from one side thereof, at which, by suitable connection, it is in communication with the steam or air pipe F of the car centrally to the forward end of the head. The head is also integrally provided with a pair of separated oppositelydisposed forwardly-projecting and outwardly-diverging extensions 12 12, the inner faces 13 13 of which are flat or plane and arranged at right angles to the planes of the said flat sides 10 of the tapering heads, which are at the rear thereof, so that when a pair of heads are in engagement and end-to'end abutment,

as shown in Fig. 4, the said inner faces of the said extensions of one head will have a continuous and broad bearing and fit upon the prevented, and also due thereto there can be no rolling motion of the one head on the other; or, in other words, there can be no motion of partial rotation of either head about its axial or longitudinal line, but one head is interlocked with and upon and acts to re-enforce the other in its proper coupled position. The extensions of the coupling-heads are forwardlycontinued in outwardly-divergin g and forwardly-tapering arms 15 15, the divergence of which is considerably greater than that of the working-extensions 12 12.

In the application of the cou pling-bars with the heads thereon, as described, on cars, the head on one car will be disposed so that the extensions and horns thereon will be disposed in a common plane which is at or about at a right angle to a plane common to and centrally and longitudinally intersecting the extensions and horns of the head upon the other car, and in practice, that the heads may be most compactly arranged, the common plane coincident with both extensions and horns of one head are placed at about an inclination of forty-five degrees to the perpendicular and substantially as shown in Fig. 3 and the projection thereof, Fig. 4. Each coupling-bar is mounted so that the forward end of the head proper normally stands (being spring-pressed) forward of the plane of abutment when the two cars are coupled and the pair of heads are in engagement, the coup ling-bar being rearward] y forced as the latter condition is established. As the couplingheads approach end to end, if considerably out of axial alignment the inner edge of the horn of one head will slide upon the inclined inner edge of the horn of the other head, or upon further approach the faces 10 and 13 will exert aguiding and centering action, the one on or relative to the other, so that when the ends of the two coupling-heads are together the passages t t therein will form the one a continuation of the other.

An elastic and compressible packing is provided in the forward end of each head proper G, substantially as shown. As constructed and applied, the packing is in the form of an annular flange 20, formed upon a base-piece 22, which is adapted to be set upon the forward face of the head. A metallic plate 23 overlies the said basc-picce 22, bcin g provided with a circular hole 24, through and forwardly beyond which the said flange of the rubber packing-piece may protrude. The edges of the portions of the rubber and metal 22 and 23 extend into recesses 24, which are formed laterally at the junction of the faces 13 of the extensions 12 with the forward end of the head. The forward walls 25 of said recesses are inclined to the forward face of the head G, and wedgeshaped keys 26, bearing between said inclined recess edges 25 and the edge portions of thcmetal retaining-plate23,confine the plate and the rubber securely in place. A short thin collar 27 fits within the rubber flange 20, slightly back from the forward edge thereof, as shown, for re-enforcing the flange,

so that the same will not cripple or become unduly compressed at the time of coupling. The inner diameter of the collar 27 is about the same as that of the orifice of the passage 1, so that said collar by its rear edge may lie outside of and surrounding said orifice and have a seat upon the forward face of the coupling-head.

Demonstration and continued use of the appliances above described and shown have been had on passenger-ears, and it has been found that the perfect coupling of the steampipes has been insured. It has further been found that it is entirely possible and certain to effect the coupling between cars, one of which may stand upon a sharp curve, the other being backed down thereupon by a locomotive and with steam at fifty pounds pressure issuing through the coupling on the moving car. Simultaneously, however, with the end-to-end contacting of the heads and slight compression of the springs u theperfeet coupling between the steam-pipes F of two cars is established, there being absolutely no leakage at the coupling-heads. It will readily be seen that the rubber packing-piece may be removed and replaced, as necessity requires, on the occasion of the flange extremity thereof becoming worn or unduly distorted.

Due to the provision of the appliances described for the support of the coupling-bar when those of two cars are in engagement by their heads, a rocking or swinging motion of either car will not be imparted to the heads in any material degree, so as to throw them out of alignment, for the axial alignment of the two coupling-bars will be absolutely maintained, due to the engagement of the flat extension-surfaces 13 of the heads having a continued bearing on the flat tapered surfaces 10, respectively, of the other head.

By turning the nut h on the shank of the ring-eye h the rear support for the couplingbar may be raised so that the said couplingbar maybe given a slight downward and forward pitch,and drip-cocks w are provided at the under side of the heads leading from the passages t thereof, so that while the steampipes of several ears are coupled together, but the cars are not in use, the accumulations of condensation in the pipes may, on opening the cooks, be withdrawn.

In practice it is desirable to employ flanged packing parts or gaskets on the couplingheads, each of such an extent of projection beyond the forward face of the head properto the end of securing a more durable and long protracted steam-tight connection-that at times, especially when the said packing portions are new and unworn, the tapered plane sides 10 10 of the one head, when constructed as hereinabove set forth, would not quite bottom into or come into absolute and entire contact with the surfaces 13 13 inside of the extensions of the other head, and

a slightly-untrue or one-sided wear on the rubber flanges might ensue, to finally result in a leakage at the joint. lherefore, even while the construction of the heads as hereinabove described is very practical and advantageous, especially when rubber flanges of just the right length are provided, still,in order that the heads may work with entire satisfaction even when rubber flanges of greater or less length are used, I have given to the head further, though subordinate, features of construction, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15, and which will be now particularly described.

Each of the faces 10 10 next to the forward end of the head proper is formed with a flat rest 30, which is parallel with the longitudinal line of the head, said flats being parallel with each other, the extent of said rests longitudinally of the head being comparatively slight-say about twice that of the projection of the flange 20beyond the retaining-plate 23. Then at the rear of each tapered side 10 another flat or rest 32 is provided similar to the one 30. The extensions 12 on their inner sides next forward of the end of the head proper are formed with flat rests 33 33,parallel with each other, but of course at right angles to the rests 3O 32, and then, again, forward of the inclined surfaces 13 13 are similar fiat rests 3st 34, opposite to and parallel with each other. The distances longitudinally between the rests 33 and 34 on the extensions are the same as the longitudinal distances between the rests and 32 on the heads proper. Now, as shown in 14:, when the heads come into engagement and the potential compression of the comparatively long rubber flanges the one upon the other has been reached before the maximum compression of the springs a has been attained and the plane tapered surfaces 10 10 of the one head do not quite bottom upon the plane inclined surfaces 13 13 inside of the extensions of the other head, the flat and parallel rests 30 and 32 of the one head have abearing upon the flat and parallel rests 33 and 34 on the extensions of the other head, and there can be no rolling, rocking, or.tilting motion of the one head upon the other in any direction.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a car, of a coupling-bar and a supporting-eye for and embracing the rear portion thereof, anothersnpport, spring-sustained and vertically movable, and a link connected thereto adapted to have a transverse swinging movement thereon, .and

on which the said coupling-bar by a forward portion thereof is supported, all whereby the said coupling-bar may have a sliding movement endwise through the said eye and link, may have a swinging motion from said eye as a fulcrum, and may have a rising and falling and lateral swinging motion on and with the said link, and a spring applied in relation to said coupling-bar for forcing the same forward, and a stop for limiting the forward movement, together with a suitable couplinghead at the extremity of the coupling-bar 5 having a passage thereth rough, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the supporting yokes or clips to a of the car, of a bar or part, as 6, adapted by a portion thereof to be connected with one of said yokes, a hanger from which said bar is supported and by which it is adjustably connected to the other car clip or yoke, and a coupling head and bar therefor supported from said bar 6 and adapted to have endwise sliding and vertical and horizontal swinging movements thereon or relative thereto, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the car and the bar 6, of hangers f and g, from which said 0 bar is supported, a support 1? and the sustaining-spring n therefor, and the link or stirrup j, the supporting-eye it, the coupling-bar 1), provided with a coupling-head, the spring 11, and stop q, substantially as described.

5 4.. The combination, with the car having the yokes or clips at a, of the hangersf and g, the latter having a slot-and-bolt connection with one of the clips, as described, the bar 0, byits one portion supported on the said hanger o f and by another portion having an adjustable connection with the said hanger g. the eye-support h and the link-support j and the spring-sustained support 2' therefor, the coupling head and bar therefor sustained and mov- 5 able on said eye and link supports, and the spring a and stop, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the supporting bar or part, as c, sustained on the under part of a car, of the link or stirrup and a springsustained support therefor, the lower uniting member of said link being provided with a roller 0, the eye-support h, sustained 011 said bar 6, and a coupling head and bar therefor mounted in said eye and link support and having a spring and stop and capable of the move ments set forth, substantially as described.

(3. The combination, with the steam or air pipe of a car, of a coupling-bar supported 0 from and below the car and adapted to have an endwise spring-resisted movement and horizontal and vertical swinging movements, provided at its forward end with a couplinghead with a passage therethrough which is 5 in communication with said pipe, having opposite sides thereof plane and forwardly tapered and provided with a pair of separated oppositely disposed, forwardly projecting, and outwardly-diverging extensions, the inner faces of which are plane and arranged at right angles to the said plane tapering sides of the head, which are at the rear thereof, the angle and distance between the said inner faces of said extensions reversel y corresponding to the taper of said head, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, with a coupling-headhaving tapered sides and forwardextensions, and a passage therethrough leading to the front end, of the head proper, the latter atthe junction therewith of said extensions being formed with the recesses 24, the rubber packing consisting of the base-piece 22, having a flange-surronnded perforation, the confining-plate 23, and keys thereof fitting in said recesses 24, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination, with the coupling-head having tapered sides and forward extensions, and a passage therethrough leading to the front end, of the head proper, the latter at the junction therewith of said extensions being formed with the recesses 24, the rubber packing consisting of the base-piece 22, having a flan ge-su rrounded perforation, the short collar 27, lying inside of and back from the forward end of said flange, the apertured plate 23, and confining-keys, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination, with the support, as the bar e, secured under the car, of the screwshanked ring-eye hand nut h, the springsustained support i, and the link j, the coupling-bar supported in said ring-eye and link provided with a coupling-head having a passage therethrough leading to the forward end thereof, and provided with the drip-cock lead ing downwardly from said passage, and all whereby on turning the said nut the coupling bar and head may be downwardly inclined to insure at will an emission of water accumulations at said cook.

10. A coupling-head with a passage therethrough having opposite sides thereof plane and forwardly tapered, as at l0 l0, and also having both in advance of and to the rear of said tapered faces the flat rests 30 and 32 32, the rests of each pair thereof being parallel to each other and to the common longitudinal line of the head, and provided with a pair of separated oppositely-disposed forwardly-projecting and outwardly-diverging extensions, the inner faces 13 13 of which are arranged at right angles to the said plane tapering sides of the head, which are to the rear thereof, the angle and distance between the said diverging inner faces of the extensions revcrsely corresponding to the taper of said head, and said extensions forward and to the rear of said diverging faces having the parallel fiat rests 33 and 34. 34, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JAMES D. BAGG. Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLows, G. M. CHAMBERLAIN.

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